I’ve been teaching myself and exploring this technique for the past year. I have been seeing many examples of the technique in online shows. There are some basic elements that come from the field of mathematics. Parabola’s and astroids being the makeup of most. Some forms are individual, some mirror each other. We all recognize ”String Art” designs and this techniques follows that avenue as well. All the curves are the result of how the straight lines are combined. It’s a simple stitch really but the combinations and arrangements of elements, how color is used and how many faces each ball receives has everything to do with the outcome. The members of this grouping are all from 41 to 50 cm. circumference. They are stitched with #8 perle cotton. The self imposed challenge for the grouping was to use a very limited palette and to recombine the basic elements in arrangements I hadn’t seen anywhere else. The starkness of this color group really challenged my love of the broad spectrum colors, however, limiting the palette was a great teaching tool for me. . Simple divisions, C 8, C 10, they each work wonderfully. They all require added support lines. What was most interesting is that a white mari using black thread appears very differently than the same design using a black mari and white thread.

Oh yes, size does matter! But then I’ve prefered making larger sphere’s from the beginning. Big girl balls have so much more presence.

Another wonderful aspect of this design study has been an online connection with a Temari friend from Australia. We have Temari in common, this technique in particular we have pursued together and the mutual benefit has been remarkable. It is a complete pleasure to share the why’s and whatfore’s, good grief moments, successes and redo event’s we’ve each had along the way. I feel as though without her support and input along this path I’d never have stuck with the learning curve.

The ‘Curved Stitching’ technique is a method I’ve been exploring. It uses all straight stitches to form these wonderful shapes and patterns. The pentagons are created within the normal C 8 marking. Each of the 8 6-way centers holds 3 pentagons.

Oh I am so happy. After 3 balls start to finish using this design, I got it. Hoopla, bells and whistles. Don’t get me wrong here, all 3 look good even in their individual details. This follows the colorway from the Cosmo book and I’m glad I waited for the 3rd ball to use it. I struggled with design the first 2 times, it just wasn’t quite the ‘rightness’ I was wanting. Well, perseverance furthers. What a great feeling. 37cm. circumference, using 5/2 mercerized cotton. It’s my first time using this thread for embroidery and I like it a lot.

They look different don’t they? Same design but the 2nd, the green dominant one has different proportions to the design elements. I missed an essential design detail in the first, purple dominant one. The little triangles at the big triangle centers. Made them with the 2nd ball. Hooray! Both are the same circumference, believe it or not. Perception is everything. I started my initial rows closer to the pentagonal pole centers with the 2nd, leaving a bit less space for the green rows to build up, this also allowed the big triangles to get bigger. The difference between these two is a great reminder of how very much I still have to learn and take into consideration when figuring out how to begin a new design.

Color dominance and the differences between them, has me contemplating even a 3rd one. Perhaps in the colorway of the original design in Cosmo 3.

She’s big and beautiful at 45 cm. This ball is the January Temari Challenge project called, Safflower. This mentoring group is a wonderful and ”instructive island”. I started this project with the purpose of learning more advanced techniques and using a smaller thread. Both these areas make me doubt myself in several ways. Those being the advancement of skills and techniques beyond where my comfort level is snugged in. The ultraviolet color way is a continuing direction this year. It’s a great challenge in and of itself as it’s not a go to color for me. All this and more is why I like this group and having a mentoring format to work with, a place of openess, encouragement and generosity. True delight in the learning by doing atmosphere that is offered.

Learning to read and puzzle out what is actually happening and how it does so when the design direction is written in Japanese. Understanding line, proportion and construction as well how color translates is huge. Trying different thread size and behavior is a welcome addition to the skills bag. Guess what? The smaller guage thread used in this manner is wonderful.

Working on this same pattern, Temari Kai # GT 40. New palette. 45cm. circum. 5.65” dia. I widened the 1st diamond pattern to fill the under space more fully, making the stripe that passes under the upper pattern points stronger. Seeing these together really shows me how changes in color way and proportion of the individual elements can alter the finished appearance. The stitching technique of working between the laid down rows of the first pattern is a slow and painstaking one, making sure I didn’t catch any extra thread from it but did catch enough of the thread wrap to hold each stitch where I wanted it to be.

The contrasts, high and low of each palette also pushes the pattern shapes into different relationships and dominant/passive roles. Three of these is the charm I think. Next? On to whatever the next Temari will show itself to be.

Springs pink, ochre and aqua weaving efforts came together well here. At 32 centers, 6.75” diameter, 56.5cm. circumference, her presence shines through. C 10 mark in the wide banded pentagonal grid is dominant. The triangles weave under, over and between the band bodies. A first time for me in splitting the primary bands rather than using a laid space to do so. It was inspired by Temari SJ11 from the Temari Kai pattern base. Those 5+3 figure combinations that the C 10 mark provides seem to be an infinite source of design possibilities. The use of an ombre Nordic Gold metallic marking thread really made a wonderful sparkle as the light dances over the surface. It game me more experience using double strand #5 as well. Oh yes always learning and practicing those basic skills, using them on new and more ambitious projects. Thank you to all the Temari guides and gods for their assistance in every stitch taken.

Judy Tepley

When I learned how to pull needle and thread as a child I could never have imagined the overwhelming joy that would come to me as a result. So many things in life are difficult and seem so full of struggle; we each have the opportunity to search our interior landscape for the places, occasions and activities that will lead us into true happiness and peace of mind. My current dance with Temari is filled with the sweetness of creative juices. Each new thread ball exciting and unique in design and color way. Discoveries stepping forward as the needle and thread show the way.